Do you ever get worried if your children get behind and aren't at grade level...even a little bitty bit of concern? I know many of us homeschoolers don't go by "grade level", but follow our child's ability and pace. However, I have to admit that sometimes I get a little concerned....and I have no idea what I'm even concerned about because we are under an umbrella school, so no tests, state standards, evaluations, etc! My 6 year old would technically be in 1st grade if her were in school, but he's more at a mid-Kindergarten level. I know he'll be fine, but I was just wondering if I'm the only one who lives by the "no grade level" theory, but still gets worried at times.

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I used to worry about that stuff when I was more of the school mind but I have read a lot & learned that the arbitrary rules that the public school would have us believe is the way we all are supposed to learn is a lie. Children can learn to read from as young as 2 or 3 to as old as 12 or 13 & learning writing & math has the same braud range. Every child is different & no one learners anything at the same age as others, even if they are in the school system they still learn at there own pace & if they are "behind" per the school standards they get labeled slow when in fact they are right on track for themselves.

There are so many places that we are far above grade level, so although my middle boy is behind grade level in a few of the typical testing spots, I don't get worried about it. He'll make the appropriate jumps in his own time.

I had one that didn't read till he was nearly 10. So no, I'm not a big stickler for "grade levels". They've got their whole lives to learn, I'm not going to try to cram it all in inside someone elses time table.

My son was born in August, Technically he could go for both grade levels. When I pulled him out of public school, he was in first grade. Also he atleast 6 months to a year younger than most peers that was in his public school. I was worried that i needed to have him up to speed with everything else with the school board, but I'm getting to the stage now, that I don't care what level he's on.

Both of my girls are ahead of the pack when compared to their peers in PS. They are right on track for themselves. My 1st graders has already learned to do the math that they are going to be doing with her curric at the end of the year. We do go by grade levels b/c of the path that we have chosen with our curriculum. She will be learning multiplication this year. She is writting in cursive (they don't even teach that in PS anymore). She will be learning to type this summer while we are "wasting" time until our next year begins in January (just what we have chosen to do). We will be working on other things as well.

My K child is way ahead of her peers as she should technically be in Pre-k or K4. She is reading well ahead of her years (nearly a 2nd grade level with the comprehension to go with it), she is writting in cursive (her coordination is behind, but she is doing it). Her math skills are on par with an early 1st grader.

My personal opinion is that each child moves forward at their own pace. It doesn't matter when they learn to do something so long as they learn it.

You are definitely not alone in this intermittent feeling of concern. Even as recently as last year. Sometimes these feelings come and go. But only because we want our kids to be as educated as they can be. :)

yes when i first started but then i thought whos school is this anyway, mine! im not trying to impress anyone, and they are right where i want them to be! grade level, above grade level or below grade level!! i just ignored all the grade level stuff after that!

Sometimes... I wonder if i'm missing the extras... because we KNOW we are ahead in math and english. However, other kids their age seem to have a better understanding things like American History and such... plus my kids have terrible handwriting and I can't seem to get that turned around.

So, yeah, I guess I worry some... but I also know they work at their own level. There's no need to stress and they know things that other kids don't.

It just gives me ideas of what to teach next or the following year... or what to look for at the library or for curriculum next year.

I used to worry about that stuff when I was more of the school mind but I have read a lot & learned that the arbitrary rules that the public school would have us believe is the way we all are supposed to learn is a lie. Children can learn to read from as young as 2 or 3 to as old as 12 or 13 & learning writing & math has the same braud range. Every child is different & no one learners anything at the same age as others, even if they are in the school system they still learn at there own pace & if they are "behind" per the school standards they get labeled slow when in fact they are right on track for themselves.